Expansion at other Detroit area airports is virtually impossible due to
constraints beyond the control of those airports. Problems such as congested
airspace (regulated by the FAA through Air Traffic Control) or restrictions on
land usage in areas contiguous to airports are virtually insurmountable.

The
Airport Capacity Enhancement Plan suggests the addition of two new runways at
Metro. Most of the land these runways would be built on is already owned by the
airport. There are no physical constraints to constructing these runways such as
topography, tall buildings, or residential neighborhoods. Therefore, land usage
issues will not prevent the expansion of the infrastructure at Metro.

The
plan also contains recommendations for modifications in air traffic control
procedures which would eliminate many of the delays which occur at present. Air
traffic control delays are relatively small compared to delays resulting from
the need for an additional east/west runway. (In fact, some of the air traffic
control delay is also caused by the absence of a such a runway.} Other plan
recommendations would eliminate air traffic control as a significant factor in
capacity constraints even with as much as a 50% increase in operations.
[46]